Credit and other security cards and card utilization system therefor

ABSTRACT

A security card (which may be a credit card) according to the invention has recorded on it data identifying a personal and noncounterfeitable characteristic, such as a voice print, of the authorised holder of the card. Card utilisation systems according to the invention provide means for comparing the characteristic as recorded by this data with the corresponding characteristic of the person wishing to use the card, thereby substantially eliminating the possibility of unauthorised use of the card. The system, when applied to credit card utilisation, preferably includes document facsimile transmission, whereby a credit card user obtaining credit remotely can be provided with a facsimile copy of the usual credit sale document, which facsimile copy he signs before transmitting another facsimile copy, this time of the signed first copy, to provide the remote credit issuing location with his authentication of the transaction. Preferably, also, the system includes provision for television communication between credit card holders and the credit-giving locations, whereby, for example, a remote would-be purchaser can be shown goods in which he is interested. The system is also adapted to provide for credit card payment in, for example, pay television distribution systems and for remote purchase of theatre and airline tickets and of services such as the supply of information from computerised information systems and computerised translation services.

United States Patent Waterbury CREDIT AND OTHER SECURITY CARDS AND CARDUTILIZATION SYSTEM THEREFOR Nelson J. Waterbury, Palm Beach, Fla.

Assignees: Cynthia Cannon, London, England;

Louis Beck, New York, N.Y. part interest to each Filed: Aug. 9, 1971Appl. No.: 169,906

Inventor:

US. Cl. 178/5.1, 340/149 A, 235/6l.7 B, 235/61.11 D, 235/6l.l2 M

Int. Cl. H04n l/44 Field of Search 340/149 A, 148, 152; 235/6l.7 B,61.11 D, 61.12 R, 61.12 C, 61.12 N, 61.12 M; 179/1 SB, 2 CA, 2 TV;l78/5.1

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Yaida et a1. 340/149 A MacChesney235/6l.11 D

1451 Aug. 14, 1973 [5 7] ABSTRACT A security card (which may be a creditcard) according to the invention has recorded on it data identifying apersonal and non-counterfeitable characteristic, such as a voice print,of the authorised holder of the card. Card utilisation systems accordingto the invention provide means for comparing the characteristic asrethis time of the signed first copy, to provide the remote creditissuing location with his authentication of the transaction.

Preferably, also, the system includes provision for televisioncommunication between credit card holders and the credit-givinglocations, whereby, for example, a remote would-be purchaser can beshown goods in which he is interested.

The system is also adapted to provide for credit card payment in, forexample, pay television distribution systems and for remote purchase oftheatre and airline tickets and of services such as the supply ofinformation Primary Exami'ferTBen-iamin 9 from computerised informationsystems and Assistant ExammerS. C. Buczlnskl computerised translationservices Att0rneyKenyon & Kenyon Reilly Carr & Chapin 22 Claims 8Drawing Figures x H TELEPHONE A SALES- POINT PD /23 25 Q1 N E 7 LOCATIONCA I I READER 1 l E I 7 Z 19 L i i ,2 16 17 A: I 22 18 I TELEPHONE A s gl TNOLEATOP I l EXCHANGE j STATON SALES POINT LE O WNW) 116 14 CARDACOUSTIC FACSIMILE READER COUPLER MACHINE 250 32 Z MACHlNE Fl G2.

I ./12 WW M E FACSIMILE A SALES-POINT A LOCATION SPEECH ANALYSER STATIONACOUSTIC COUPLEF? TELEPHONE EXCHANGE CARD READER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1TELEPHONE EXCHANGE FIGJ.

SPEECH ANALYSER STATlON 114 I nventor Attorneys Nelson J. WaterburyTELEPHONE EXCHANGE FIGA.

FACSIMILE MACHINE E E IK E SALES POiNT Patented Aug. 14, 1973 mac/non 24Patented Aug. 14, 1973 3,752,904

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 \NFORMATKJN I BANK I TELE- 2 FIGS, I COMMUNICATIONS 4314 NETWORK 7 SPEECH ANALYSEQ STAT\ON 39-- Inventor Nelson J. Wat erbu ryBy a (gwwgw Wdfih Attorneys Patented Aug. 14, 1973 3,752,904

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Nelson J. Waterbury FIG 7 BY Patented Aug. 14,1973 3,752,904

4 sheets -sheet 4 CREDIT AND OTHER SECURITY CARDS AND CARD UTILIZATIONSYSTEM THEREFOR This invention relates to credit and other securitycards and to utilisation systems for such cards.

Objects of the invention include the provision of increased securityagainst misuse of a credit or other'security card according to theinvention, such for example as a personal identity pass, andsimultaneously, without sacrificing this increased security, widenedfacilities for authorised use of the card, including its use toauthenticate the users identity or to obtain credit at a location remotefrom'that of the card holder, and even on a world-wide basis by makinguse of an existing or a specially provided internationaltelecommunications network. Other objects and features of the inventionwill also become apparent from the following disclosure of theinvention.

The basic feature of the invention is the provision of a security cardwhich bears, as data identifying the authorised holder, data relating tocharacteristics or an attribute which are so personal to the holder thathe, and only he, can use these characteristics or such personalattributeto generate, in a signal transmission system, signals which aretransmissable by the transmission system to a remote location and whichcan then be compared with signals which are generated by means of theidentifying data recorded on the card.

This and other features of the invention will be disclosed in thefollowing description of embodiments of the invention, with reference tothe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a credit card which is of known type except that itbears a strip of magnetic recording material on which, though of coursethis cannot be illustrated, there is recorded a voice print of theauthorised holder of the card;

FIG. 2 illustrates a credit card which is similar to that shown in FIG.1 except that, instead of a magnetic recording of the voice print of theauthorised holder, it carries a visible representation of such avoice'print;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a credit card utilisation system withwhich a credit card as shown in FIG. I or FIG. 2 may be used;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a more complex credit card utilisationsystem with which a credit card as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 may beused, in secure conditions, to transact business on credit betweenlocations which are remote from one another; and

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a further embodiment of a security cardutilisation system according to the invention;

FIGS. 6 and 7 show further modifications;

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a portable station according to theinvention.

The credit card illustrated in FIG. I-and indicated generally by areference 11 is of the well known kind, and may have printed orotherwise recorded thereon all the information concerning the issuingcompany, the authorised holder, and the credit limit to which use of thecard is subject, which such cards customarily bear. Additionally,however, the card 11 is provided on one of its faces with a strip 12 ofmagnetic recording material on which is recorded a voice print of theauthorised holder. The voice print may be recorded on the strip 12directly as a sound recording of the voice of the authorised holder ashe speaks, say, his name; or, equally satisfactorily, the voice printmay be in the form of a magnetic record of a signal pulse train whichconstitutes a coded speech analysis of the speaking voice of theauthorised holder as produced by means of a speech analyser prior tobeing recorded on the strip 12.

The credit card illustrated in FIG. 2, and indicated generally by areference 11', is also of the well known kind except that it is providedwith a region 12' on which is visibly printed a trace 13 which is avisible record of a voice print of the authorised holder of the card. Asin the case of FIG. 1, the card 11 of FIG. 2 might alternatively havevisibly recorded on it not a voice print trace 13 as illustrated but avisible representation of spaced pulses constituting a coded speechanalysis of the authorised holder of the card.

It will be understood that the cards 11 and 11, by means of thevoice-print data recorded on them, each uniquely identify the authorisedholder if they are presented to suitable apparatus for reading thisdata.

FIG. 3 shows a first, basic, security card utilisation system with whichcredit cards or other security cards like the card 11 may be used. Thesystem illustrated in FIG. 3 comprises a speech analyser station 14connected via a public telephone line 15 to its local telephone exchange16. The station 14 is accessible via the public telephone system to eachof a plurality of salespoint locations of which two are shown, indicatedby references 17 and 17' respectively. The sales-point location 17 isassumed to be in the same locality as the speech analyser l4 and to beserved by the same telephone exchange 16, to which it is thereforeconnected by its own telephone line 18. The sales point location 17',identical in form withthe location 17 and therefore not shown ordescribed in detail, is assumed to be served by a telephone exchange 16'to which it is connected by a telephone line 19, the telephone exchangesI6 and 16' being connected to one another by a telephone line or othertelecommunications link 20 as shown or (not shown) through interveningtelephone exchanges. Further sales point locations (not shown) areconnected, as by a further telephone line 21, to the exchange 16 and arethus each connectable to the speech analyser station 14.

Each sales-point location 17 or 17 and so on is one at which credit orother security cards like that shown in FIG. 1, say, are recognised; andeach is provided with a telephone 22, a card reader 23 and an indicator24, all connectable through connection circuitry 25 to the telephoneline 18, as is illustrated schematically in the case of the location 17.A card holder wishing to use his card at, say,.the location I7 uses theutilisation system shown in FIG. 3 as follows. First, he uses thetelephone 22 to call the number of the speech analyser station 14, andby this means puts the location 17 in connection with the station 14,through the exchange 16. (If he were at location 17', the connectionwould be established through exchange 16 and 16). Having established thenecessary connection, he speaks to the speech analyser station 14 whichperforms a speech analysis on the received speech. The card holder alsopresents his card 11 to the card reader 23, which is constructed to scanthe strip 12 and derive therefrom signals representing the data recordedthereon. These signals are also transmitted to the speech analyser. Ifthe data is directly in the form of recorded speech, the speech analyserstation 14 performs a speech analysis on the reproduced recorded speechas well, and compares the results of the two analyses in any convenientmanner. If, on the other hand, the voice print is recorded on the cardin the form of pulses constituting a coded speech analysis, it will bearranged that the analyser station 14 provides a similarly codedanalysis of the speech transmitted by the telephone 22 and then comparesthe two coded analyses. In either case, the analyser station makes thenecessary comparison and then, dependent on the result beingsatisfactory, emits a signal which is transmitted back to the location17 to actuate or illuminate the indicator 24 so as to confirm that theperson presenting the card is the person whose voice print is recordedon it. The sales personnel at the sales-point location 17 can then, withfull confidence, permit the card holder to use his card to obtaincredit. It will be understood that although the locations 17 and 17 havebeen referred to as sales-point locations, this term is intended toinclude, for example, banks where the credit card holder will not bemaking a purchase but merely wishes to draw cash or effect some othertransaction which he can only be permitted to do after having identifiedhimself. Equally, the system might be an internal telephone system of,say, a security establishment or other organisation to which access isonly permitted after proper idenfication. In that case, the telephoneexchange 16 might be the internal exchange of the establishment (withinwhich the speech analyser would be accommodated) and each entrance tothe establishment, or to individual parts thereof, could be providedwith an identity checkpoint (corresponding to the sales-point location17) at which persons presenting themselves would present also not acredit card but a security card corresponding to the credit card asdescribed above with reference to FIG. 1 or FIG. 2.

It is to be understood that although in the system illustrated in FIG. 3the speech analyser station 14 is remote from all the sales-pointlocations and used by all of them in common, it would be within thescope of the invention to provide each sales-point location with its ownanalyser, the link to which would then not involve the public telephonesystem but only a private internal telephone system or, even, a directconnection provided for the credit card utilisation system alone.

It should also be understood that the data recorded on the credit orother security card of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 for uniquely identifying theauthorised holder need not, even assuming that voice prints are used forthis purpose, be either a voice print itself or details of the analysisof the voice print. Instead, the data recorded on the card may be theaccess code to a specific location in a computerised memory storecontaining voiceprint records or analyses of all authorised cardholders, this memory store being associated with the speech analyserstation 14 so that when, as above described, the data from a card 11 or11' is read by a card reader 23 and transmitted to the station 14, thetransmitted signals call up the respective memory store location andcause it to present the appropriate voice print or its analysis forcomparison with the analysis performed by the speech analyser at station14 on the voice of the card holder as transmitted from the telephone 22.

The systems described above with reference to FIG. 3 enable sales orsecurity personnel at any of the locations 17 and so on to verify theidentity ofa card holder who is actually present at the respectivelocation; and only minor modification or development of the system isrequired to enable a card holder to obtain credit or establish hisidentity on the same reliable basis without being present in person atthe sales-point location, as, for example, when he wishes to order goodsby telephone. However, it is preferred, when credit is to be obtainableremotely, to provide a more elaborate card utilisation system which notonly serves to identify the card holder reliably but also gives him, inturn, the as surance that he will not be overcharged in respect of apurchase which he makes remotely by use of his credit card.

A suitable system according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 4.As in FIG. 3, it comprises a sales location point 17 furnished with acard reader 23 (for use in connection with card holders presentingthemselves in person), a telephone 22 and an indicator 24, these allbeing connectable through connection circuitry 25 to the local telephoneexchange 16 and therethrough to a speech analyser station 14 of thesystem. The location 17 of FIG. 4 is additionally furnished with arecording device 26 (which may be a suitable tape recorder) and with adocument facsimile transmitter-receiver 27 of any known and suitablekind, thus being connected into theconnection circuitry 25.

Each credit card holder who wishes to be able to use his credit cardremotely is provided with a card reader 30 and with a facsimiletransmitter/receiver 31 (which may be identical in construction with,respectively, the card reader 23 and facsimile transmitter/receiver 27at each sales point location 17), and also with an acoustic couplerdevice 32, of known kind, to which the card reader 30 and facsimilemachine 31 are connected and by means of which they may be coupled tothe credit card holder's telephone 33 (or indeed, to any telephone) andthus put in connection through an existing telephone system with any oneof the sales-point locations 17.

The facsimile machine may be of any suitable kind, for example asdisclosed in British Pat. No. 1 169912 to Xerox Corporation. Similarly,the acoustic coupler 31 may be of any suitable kind, including thatdisclosed in British Pat. No. 1232734 to The Magnavox Company.

To make and pay for a purchase from a remote salespoint location 17, thecard holder first uses his telephone 33 to make a call in the normal wayto the appropriate sales-point location 17. This enables him to hold anormal telephone conversation with the sales personnel there, using thetelephone 22. When a purchase has been agreed on, and the card holderadvises that he wishes to use his card to make payment, the sales-pointpersonnel first ascertains the caller's telephone number and thenswitches the circuitry 25 to connect the recorder 26 in circuit. Thecard holder then uses his telephone 33 to provide a sample of his speechwhich is recorded in the recorder 26, and then positions the handset ofhis telephone on the acoustic coupler 31 to connect his card reader 30to the recorder 26. The card holder passes his credit card 11 throughthe card reader 30 and thus the data on the card is transmitted to therecorder 26 where it is recorded. The call originated by the card holderis then terminated, thus clearing the telephone line 18 connecting thesales-point location 17 to its local telephone exchange 16 and enablingthe sales-point personnel to put through a normal telephone call to thespeech analyser station 14. When this connection is established, thesales-point personnel plays back the recording on the recorder 26, thuspresenting to the station 14 both the card holders speech sample and thedata recorded on his credit card. As already explained, this data may bean actual voice print, or a coded analysis of a voice print, or anaccess code which serves to retrieve either of these from a store orbank associated with the station 14. Whichever of these posssibilitiesis employed in the system, the signals transmitted to the station 14enable the required comparison to be made there so that the station 14transmits the appropriate signal to the indicator 24 at the location 17,indicating (if such is the case) that the card holder who made theoriginal call is indeed the authorised holder of the card which he thenpresented to his card reader.

Having obtained this authentication, the sales-point personnel telephonethe card holders number, as previously ascertained, and thusre-establishes contact. He makes out the credit-card companys slip forthe sale in the normal manner, as though the card holder were there inperson to sign it, and then presents the completed slip to the facsimilemachine 27 for transmission to the card holders facsimile machine 31.The necessary interconnection of the two machines is achieved by thecard holder replacing his telephone handset on the acoustic coupler 31and the sales-point personnel setting his connecting circuitryappropriately. Thus the machine 31 is caused to deliver to the cardholder a facsimile of the slip which the sales-point personnel hascompleted. The card holder then immediately signs the facsimile he hasreceived, and presents it (preferably with his credit card superimposedon a part of the slip left blank for the purpose) to the reader sectionof his machine 31, which causes the machine 27 at the sales-pointlocation 17 to produce a further facsimile, this time of the signedslip. This further facsimile, bearing a facsimile of the card holderssignature (and preferably also of his credit card) may then be attachedto the original (but unsigned) slip which was first completed, and thetwo documents together may be presented in the usual way to thecard-issuing company, as debit notes against the account of the cardholder.

In the foregoing description, the credit card utilisation systemsdisclosed by way of example have, for simplicity, been described asmaking use of independently existing telephone services as the necessarytelecommunications links of the system. It will be apparent, however,that the way in which these links are provided is not basic to theinvention. Clearly, the use of available existing services is preferableon grounds of cost and convenience if these are adequate for the demandsof the system, but conceivably a credit card utilisation systemaccording to the invention could be entirely self-contained, utilisingits own private telecommunications links entirely, these being effectedfor example either by land lines or by short-wave radio or by acombination of these and possibly other means, not excludinglong-distance linkages via earth satellite. If the linkages used in thesystem are of sufficiently high grade, it may be preferred to provideeach sales-point location with television camera and transmissionfacilitities and to make television receiving facilities availableperhaps optionally, to credit card holders. Then, a card holder wishingto order goods from a remote location, as described with reference toFIG. 4, can be shown, over the television link, those goods which he maywish to purchase. If he wishes to take time to consider his choice, ofcourse, it is also possible for permanent pictures of the various goodsavailable to be transmitted to him using the facsimile machine 27 at thesales-point location and his own facsimile machine 31.

An embodiment of a card utilisation system which includes televisionfacilities is illustrated in FIG. 5. As shown, a sales-point location 17is provided with an integrally built telecommunication unit 35 whichcomprises: a push button telephone unit of which the handset isreferenced 22a and the push-button unit 22b, with 10 buttons for thedigits 0 9; a card reader of which card entry and exit slots 23a and 23bare shown; a tape recorder 26, a television camera 36 with lens 36a; aloudspeaker 37, an indicator unit 24 corresponding to the indicator unit24 in FIG. 4; manual controls 38; and internal connection circuitry (notshown) which connects all the aforementioned to a transmission channelor channels 39 linking the unit 35 into a telecommunications network 40which may be any suitable existing or specially provided network and isnot further described here. Thus the unit 35 includes a televisioncamera and in addition, all the items of equipment of the station 17 ofFIG. 4 except the facsimile machine 27 thereof. In the FIG. 5embodiment, the facsimile machine 27 for the location 17 is provided asa separate unit, with its own integral acoustic coupler of which parts27a and 27b are provided to receive the telephone handset 22a, therebyto couple the facsimile machine 27 into the circuitry of the unit 35.

Also linked to the network 40, by its own transmission channel orchannels 41, is a card-holders station 42 which is provided with a unit35 which may be, to a large degree, identical with the unit 35. Itincludes a telephone comprising a handset 33a and push-button unit 33b,a card reader with card entry and exit slots 30a and 30b, a televisionreceiver with a screen 31b replacing the television camera 36 of theunit 35, a loudspeaker 37', manual controls 38 and a tape recorder 26'.As at the location 17, a facsimile machine 31 is provided separately,with integral acoustic coupler of which parts 31a and 31b co-operatewith the telephone handset 33a (which may be placed upon them as shownin broken line) to couple the facsimile machine 31 into the circuitry ofthe unit 35.

Each of many card-holder's stations, like the illustrated station 42,has access at will, through the network 40, to each of many sales pointlocations like the illustrated location 17, and each of these salespoint locations also has access through the network 40 to the speechanalyser station 14 which may also, as already described, include amemory store from which voice prints can be called up in response tosignals read from card holders cards.

With sophisticated apparatus as above described, available at thestations 42, the card holder who has access to them may use his stationnot only for ordinary telephone use and for credit-sale transactions asabove described, but also to gain access to, and to receive informationfrom, any information banks, such as a bank 43, and other services whichmay be accessible via the network 40. The illustrated bank 43 may, forexample, be a computerised microfilm library with selection and read-outmeans, capable of supplying requested informatiori in a form adapted forpresentation either on the television screen 36' of the station 42 or onthe facsimile machine 31 thereof. It will be understood that, with thefully integrated system described, payment for such information may bemade by use of the card holders credit card. Similarly, access may behad to any available computerised translation service and, again,payment may be made by use of the holders credit card.

A particular case in which use may or may not be made of a separatelyexisting telephone service is in connection with a pay televisionnetwork. In that case, of course, each television receiver in thenetwork is usually connected by private land-lines to the centralprogramme transmitting station; and these land-line connections mayprovide the means by which credit transactions of the kind alreadydescribed are made by way of payment for programmes to be supplied. Eachsubscriber may have a telephone and a card reader, like the telephone 33and card reader 30 of FIG. 4, these being connected or connectable tothe transmitting station over the land line which is provided forcarrying the programmes to his television receiver. He may then order adesired programme, and provide a sample of his speech by telephone, andthen transmit his voice print by presenting his credit card to his cardreader. With the order for a programme thus authenticated, the desiredprogramme may be switched to his receiver and charged against hiscredit. The credit card may, similarly, be used for payment for use of adial-a-song service, or for gaining access to movie programmes.

The foregoing descriptions of particular instances of ways in whichcredit-card utilisation systems according to the invention may be usedare, of course, given by way of example only. Particularly in the caseof a sophisticated system which provides for television communicationand the transmission of facsimile copies, the uses to which the systemmay be put are almost limitless. In particular, as illustrated by theabove description of a process of making a remote purchase, the partiesinvolved may, even though remote from one another, deal with one anotherin complete security and in the knowledge that each can be supplied withfull authentication of the transaction involved. It will be apparentthat this advantageous characteristic of the credit cards and cardutilisation systems according to the invention makes them ideal forfinancial'transactions such as the issue and acknowledgement ofinstructions to banks or brokers. The provision of facsimiletransmission not only enables payment to be authenticated as abovedescribed but also, when the purchase involves issue of a ticket orother document for subsequent use by the purchaser (as, for example,theatre and airline tickets, or cheques guaranteed by the issuing bank),enables the purchaser to be supplied with such documents without delay.In principle, of course, the facsimile apparatus may provide copieseither in black and white or in full colour; and the same is true of theabove described television facility. The use of cards and systemsaccording to the invention as means of establishing or authenticatingpersonal identities has already been referred to, and provides anotherexample of an application of the invention.

It will be understood that, although the television facility provided inthe system shown in FIG. is a oneway facility only, the systemillustrated could be modified if desired to provide two-way televisioncommunication. Thus, the camera 36 of each unit 35 could be replaced bya television receiver like that of each of the units 35, and each unit35 and 35' provided additionally with a television camera, eitherbuilt-in or separate but electrically connected to the unit. The systemwould then provide full two-way video-telephone facilities, in additionto the facilities already described.

If, as mentioned above, a card holders station 42, includes a televisioncamera facility, this can, of course, be used to transmit to anylocation 17, for presentation by the television receiver there on thescreen thereof, a picture of the card holder and, simultaneously, of thecard he holds. Particularly in this case, the card may be one whichbears a photograph of the authorised holder, thus providing an immediatevisual check as an additional security measure.

It will be appreciated that each card holders station 42, comprising theunit 35' and the facsimile machine 31, is conceived as a portablestation which the card holder can carry with him. Each unit 35 mayincorporate an acoustic coupler of its own, so that it may be easilyconnected to any convenient existing telephone. Equally, a unit 35asshown in FIG. 8, may incorporate or be connectable to its own radiotransmitter-receiver 46 so that it may be used from remote locations towhich no wired telephone system extends. In that case, it is preferredthat the unit 35' should include its own power generator, and this (inview of recent developments in the design and power capabilities ofsolar cells) may be constituted by a panel 47 of solar cells disposed,for example, on the top surface of the unit 35. The radiotransmitter-receiver can be linked via earth satellite 48 or aterrestrial radio link, as above, to a central location (not shown) asdescribed above.

Finally, mention should be made of one further specific use of the cardutilisation systems described in the foregoing, namely to enabletelephone calls (including video-telephone calls if the system includestelevision facilities) to be paid for by means of the credit card. Thus,for example, in the system shown in FIG. 4, the telephone exchange 16may itself include a sales-point location 17 at which the telephoneoperator can obtain authentication of a card holders identity anddetails of his account, as recorded with his voiceprint on his card, sothat the call which the card holder requires can be charged to thecorrect account with no possibility that the use of the card wasfraudulent.

In the modification shown in FIG. 6, the unit 35' at the card holdersstation 42 has linked to it a television camera 44 so as to provide fortwo-way television as referred to above (it being assumed that thecamera 36 of unit 35 in FIG. 5 is replaced by a television receiver andthat the unit 35 is similarly provided with a seaprate but linked cameralike the camera 44). Additionally, the unit 35' includes a built-incamera 36" for the purpose of scanning and transmitting a picture of acredit card inserted into the unit 35'. To that end, the unit 35' inFIG. 6 has a differently oriented path for the inserted credit card. Asshown, the entry slot 30a is so oriented that the inserted card ispresented face-on to the camera 36". The exit slot for the card is notshown because it is on the unseen end of the unit 35' which is oppositeto the end on which the handset 33a is provided. With this arrangement,a picture of an inserted credit card 11 or 12, like that of FIG. 1 or 2but also bearing a picture of the authorised holder as shown in FIG. 7,can be transmitted to any location 17 which has been called by means ofthe telephone 33a, 33b. The location 17 thus called may, for example, bea bank from which the calling card holder desires a guaranteed bankcheque for a specified amount. The caller having called the bank andestablished his identity by means of his card, both visually and bymeans of the voice print record on it, the bank can issue the desiredcheque by means of its facsimile machine, so that a facsimile guaranteedcheque 45 for the required amount is caused to issue, and thus beavailable for his use, from the card holders facsimile machine 31 asshown. 45 forthe required amount is caused to issue, and thus beavailable fohis use,from the card holdersfacsimile machine 3lsshown.

it will be appreciated that the authorised holder of a credit card asdescribed with reference to FIG. 1, 2 or 7 may use it to have telephonecalls charged to his own credit account whenever he makes a call from atelephone provided with means for reading either the voice print and/orthe picture on his card, whether this telephone is a public telephone orthe telephone of a private subscriber.

What is claimed is:

l. A security card having recorded thereon data in the form of a voiceprint which uniquely identifies the authorized holder of the card, saiddata relating to at least one personal and uncounterfeitable attributeof the said holder and being recorded on said card in a form whichpermits it to be read by suitabletransducer means and converted therebyinto electrical signals.

2. A security card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voice print isrecorded as a sound recording of the speaking voice of the authorisedholder.

3. A security card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voice print isrecorded as a signal-pulse train constituting a coded speech analysis ofthe speaking voice of the authorized holder.

4. A security card as claimed in claim 1 and formed at least in part asa magnetic recording layer having the said data magnetically recordedthereon.

5. A security card as claimed in claim 1 and having the said datavisibly recorded thereon and thereby readable by suitable opticalscreening means.

6. A security card utilisation system comprising a plurality of securitycards each as claimed in claim l and each having a voice pring recordedthereon which uniquely identifies a respective authorised card holder,at least one first transducer adapted to read said data of any one ofsaid cards presented to it and to produce first electrical signals whichcontain said data, at least one second transducer means responsive tothe said personal attribute of any person and operative to producesecond electrical signals representative of that personal attribute ofsuch person, and at least one comparator connectable to the firsttransducer and to the second transducer to receive the said first andthe said second electrical signals therefrom and operative to effect acomparison of the personal attribute to which said data relates and ofthe said personal attribute as represneted by said second signals, andto provide an indication, on the basis of the said comparison, whetheror not the said person is the authorised holder of the said one card.

7. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 6. wherein thesaid second transducer includes a microphone responsive to speech of thesaid person, and wherein the said comparator includes a speech analyser.

8. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 6. wherein arespective first transducer and a respective second transducer areprovided in pairs at each of a plurality of locations and the firsttransducer and second transducer at each of said locations areconnectable via a telecommunications link to a common comparator servinga plurality of said locations.

9. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 8, wherein thesaid telecommunication link between any of said locations and thecomparator includes at least one of; a public telephone line, a privatetelephone line, a terrestrail radio link, an earth-satellite radio link.

10. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 8, whereinthe comparator comprises a speech analyser, for analysing speech astransmitted by the said first and by the said second signals, and meansfor comparing the analysis results in the two cases.

11. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 8, whereineach of said locations is provided with means for receiving andtemporarily storing signals corresponding to said first and said secondsignals and transmitted from any one of a plurality of remote stationseach provided with a first remote transducer and with a second remotetransducer, said first and second remote transducers being similar tothe said first and said second transducers at each said location andconnectable to any of said locations by a telecommunications link. 7

12. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 11, whereineach of the said locations and each of the said remote stations isfurther provided with a facsimile reader and receiver capable oftransmitting and reproducing copies of the said security cards and ofdocuments relating to purchases made by the remote use of said securitycards.

13. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 13, whereineach of said locations and at least some of said remote stations arefurther provided with television facilities.

14. A pay-television system comprising a programme transmitting station,a plurality of television-receiving locations each linked by atelecommunications link to said station for receiving programmes emittedthereby, card reading means at each receiving location for reading thedata recorded on a security card as claimed in claim 1 and transmittingsaid voice print to the transmitting station, telephone means at eachreceiving location enabling a subscriber to call the transmittingstation and order a programme and provide a sample of his speech, andmeans at the transmitting station for analysing such speech sample andcomparing it with the said voice print.

15. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 11, whereinat least one of said locations is included in a telephone exchange ofsaid telecommunications link and enables telephone calls made throughsaid exchange from one of said remote stations to be charged to thecredit account represented by a credit card presented at such remotestation.

16. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 11, whereinat least one of said remote stations is provided with a radiotransmitter-receiver constituting at least a part of saidtelecommunications link, and wherein said station includes solar celldevices and can be powered thereby.

17. A security card as claimed in claim 1 and further bearing a portraitphotograph of the authorised holder.

18. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 13, whereinat least some of said remote stations are provided with a televisioncamera by means of which an image of a portrait-bearing card can betransmitted to any of said locations.

19. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 18, whereinsaid television camera is housed within a unit provided with a slot forinsertion of said card thereinto and into the camera field of view, saidunit further including a television receiver, a telephone, card-datareading means, connection means for a facsimile machine, and connectingcircuitry therefor.

20. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 7 andcomprising a telephone network including a plurality of telephones, eachof at least some of said telephones having associated therewith arespective said first transducer and including a microphone constitutinga respective said second transducer, whereby a telephone caller, who isan authorised card holder,

using any of those telephones may pay for his call by use of his card.

21. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 21, whereinthe said telephone network includes a video-telephone.

22. A security card having recorded thereon data which uniquelyidentifies the authorized holder of the card, said data relating to atleast one personal and uncounterfeitable attribute of the said holderand being recorded on said card in a form which permits it to be read bysuitable transducer means and converted thereby into electrical signals,said data being the access code to a memory location in which is storeda voice print of the authorized holder of the card.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.2.752}QOLL Dated August 1 4 1973 Inventor(s) It is certified that errorappears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, line 3 "31b" should be ---36b--.

Column 9, lines 7 to 9, delete +5. .shown.

Column 9, line ll, "pring" should be --print--.

Column 9, line 55, "represneted should be --represented--.

Column 10, line 8,"terrestrail" should be --terrestrial--.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents I FORM po'wso (10459) uscoMM-nc scan-Pas l U.$ GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE l9! O-S$5-33l

1. A security card having recorded thereon data in the form of a voiceprint which uniquely identifies the authorized holder of the card, saiddata relating to at least one personal and uncounterfeitable attributeof the said holder and being recorded on said card in a form whichpermits, it to be read by suitable transducer means and convertedthereby into electrical signals.
 2. A security card as claimed in claim1, wherein the voice print is recorded as a sound recording of thespeaking voice of the authorised holder.
 3. A security card as claimedin claim 1, wherein the voice print is recorded as a signal-pulse trainconstituting a coded speech analysis of the speaking voice of theathorised holder.
 4. A security card as claimed in claim 1, wherein thesaid data is the access code to a memory location in which is stored avoice print of the authorised holder of the card.
 5. A security card asclaimed in claim 1 and formed at least in part as a magnetic recordinglayer having the said data magnetically recorded thereon.
 6. A securitycard as claimed in claim 1 and having the said data visibly recordedthereon and thereby readable by suitable optical screening means.
 7. Asecurity card utilisation system comprising a plurality of securitycards each as claimed in claim 1 and each having a voice pring recordedthereon which uniquely identifies a respective authorised card holder,at least one first transducer adapted to read said data of any one ofsaid cards presented to it and to produce first electrical signals whichcontain said data, at least one second transducer means responsive tothe said personal attribute of any person and operative to producesecond electrical signals representative of that personal attribute ofsuch person, and at least one comparator connectable to the firsttransducer and to the second transducer to receive the said first andthe said second electrical signals therefrom and operative to effect acomparison of the personal attribute to which said data relates and ofthe said personal attribute as represneted by said second signals, andto provide an indication, on the basis of the said comparison, whetheror not the said person is the authorised holder of the said one card. 8.A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 7, wherein thesaid second transducer includes a microphone responsive to speech of thesaid person, and wherein the said comparator includes a speech analyser.9. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 7, wherein arespective first transducer and a respective second transducer areprovided in pairs at each of a plurality of locations and the firsttransducer and second transducer at each of said locations areconnectable via a telecommunications link to a common comparator servinga plurality of said locations.
 10. A security card utilisation system asclaimed in claim 9 wherein the said telecommunication link between anyof said locations and the comparator includes at least one of; a publictelephone line, a private telephone line, a terrestrail radio link, anearth-satellite radio link.
 11. A security card utilisation system asclaimed in claim 9, wherein the comparator comprises a speech analyser,for analysing speech as transmitted by the said first and by the saidsecond signals, and means for comparing the analysis results in the twocases.
 12. A security card utilisation system as claimed in claim 9,wherein each of said locations is provided with means for receiving andtemporarily storing signals corresponding to said first and said secondsignals and transmitted from any one of a plurality of remote stationseach provided with a first remote transducer and with a second remotetransducer, said first and second remote transducers being similar tothe said first and said second transducers at each said location andconnectable to any of said locations by a telecommunications link.
 14. Asecurtiy card utilisation system as claimed in claim 13, wherein each ofsaid locations and at least some of said remote stations are furtherprovided with television facilities.
 14. A security card utilisationsystem as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of the said locations andeach of the said remote stations is further provided with a facsimilereader and receiver capable of transmitting and reaproducing copies ofthe said security cards and of documents relating to purchases made bythe remote use of said security cards.
 15. A pay-television systemcomprising a programme transmitting station, a plurality oftelevision-receiving locations each linked by a telecommunications linkto said station for receiving programmes emitted thereby, card readingmeans at each receiving location for reading the data recorded on asecurity card as claimed in claim 1 and transmitting said voice print tothe transmitting station, telephone means at each receiving locationenabling a subscriber to call the transmitting station and order aprogramme and provide a sample of his speech, and means at thetransmitting station for analysing such speech sample and comparing itwith the said voice print.
 16. A security card utilisation system asclaimed in claim 12, wherein at least one of said locations is includedin a telephone exchange of said telecommunications link and enablestelephone calls made through said exchange from one of said remotestations to be charged to the credit account represented by a creditcard presented at such remote station.
 17. A security card utilisationsystem as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least one of said remotestations is provided with a radio transmitter-receiver constituting atleast a part of said telecommunications link, and wherein said stationincludes solar cell devices and can be powered thereby.
 18. A securitycard as claimed in claim 1 and further bearing a portrait photograph ofthe authorised holder.
 19. A security card utilisation system as claimedin claim 14, wherein at least some of said remote stations are providedwith a television camera by means of which an image of aportrait-bearing card can be transmitted to any of said locations.
 20. Asecurity card utilisation system as claimed in claim 19, wherein saidtelevision camera is housed within a unit provided with a slot forinsertion of said card thereinto and into the camera field of view, saidunit further including a television receiver, a telephone, card-datareading means, connection means for a facsimile machine, and connectingcircuitry therefor.
 21. A security card utilisation system as claimed inclaim 7 and comprising a telephone network including a plurality oftelephones, each of at least some of said telephones having associatedtherewith a respective said first transducer and including a microphoneconstituting a respective said second transducer, whereby a telephonecaller, who is an authorised card holder, using any of those telephonesmay pay for his call by use of his card.
 22. A security card utilisationsystem as claimed in claim 21, wherein the said telephone networkincludes a video-telephone.